New York man facing DWI and drug charges after crash

According to Ontario County sheriff’s deputies, a man is facing multiple charges in connection with a one-car accident that took place on the evening of April 14 in Canandaigua. According to police, the driver hit a culvert head-on after crossing the center line. He was injured in the accident and was taken to a local hospital where he has been listed in guarded condition.

Officers placed the driver in police custody while he was at the hospital. After performing a check, officers discovered that the driver was under an ignition interlock restriction and had a revoked license. The car he was driving did not have an ignition interlock device installed, according to reports. He has been charged with failure to notify the DMV of an address change, failure to keep right, operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and felony DWI-drug charges.

Some of the charges levied against the defendant, in this case, are felonies, and a conviction on those allegations could result in harsher sanctions. His case may also be complicated by the fact that he has a prior DWI record and is still serving penalties for a prior conviction. Individuals who have prior convictions for DWI and other offenses may face increasingly severe penalties for subsequent convictions. Additionally, a defendant’s prior record may have a negative influence on a judge or jury at trial.

If a DWI defense attorney is concerned about the effects of a defendant’s prior record on a pending case, he or she might suggest a plea deal rather than a trial. The deal may require the defendant to plead guilty to the charges; however, some of the penalties might be reduced. Additionally, the case will not move forward to trial if all parties agree to a plea deal.